Navratri involves the worship of Goddess Durga in her nine forms. Fasting during 'Navratri' or over the period of 'nine nights' is a discipline that brings our minds and hearts to a state of clarity and gratitude.

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Ayurveda recommends pausing to detox through fasting, especially when the lunar calendar heralds auspicious occasions, such as Navratri, when we connect with divine female energy. Navratri guides us to consume pure and fresh wholesome foods that are easy to digest and that sustain our energy, leading us toward wise and mindful consumption.

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Ayurveda views fasting as a conscious withdrawal of the 5 senses (not merely the sense of taste). An Ayurvedic fast involves eating a cleaner and lighter diet, appropriate for our constitution and current state of health/ vitality. Eating one or two small meals a day during the fasting period is sufficient.

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Some recommended foods during Navratri are: lotus seeds, tapioca, water chestnuts, seasonal squashes and greens, pseudo grains (millets, buckwheat, amaranth), root vegetables (potato, sweet potato, yam, carrots, colocasia/ taro, cassava), spices (rock salt, black pepper, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger, carom seed), seasonal fruits, nuts, and dairy.

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